Watchdog rejects complaints over Libra ad showing menstrual blood

The national advertising regulator has dismissed hundreds of complaints about a commercial that showed menstrual blood for the first time on prime-time Australian television.

The Libra ad, which aired during The Bachelor, Gogglebox and Survivor, showed water and blood running down a woman's leg in the shower, a woman removing a menstrual pad and a hand pouring red liquid onto a pad.

Ad Standards received more than 600 complaints about the commercial, making it the most complained-about ad this year.

Asaleo Care, the company that makes Libra sanitary products, ran the advert as part of its Blood Normal campaign, which aims to normalise menstruation.

Ad Standards has dismissed all complaints about the television ad's depictions of menstrual blood.Credit: Asaleo Care/Libra

Viewers were shown the message: "Why is it considered unacceptable to show period blood? Periods are normal. Showing them should be too."

The regulator received more than 600 complaints in which people described the ad as "distasteful and unnecessary", "vulgar", "extremely offensive" and inappropriate.

Others said it was tasteless, objectified women and was upsetting to children watching television with their families.

By comparison, a 2018 Sportsbet ad that showed a man naked from the waist up and appearing to "manscape" his genital region garnered the most complaints (793) in Ad Standards' history.

In a report released earlier in September, the Ad Standards panel said it was dismissing all complaints about the Libra advert.

The ad received more complaints than any other this year. Credit: Asaleo Care/Libra

A still from the television advertisement, which aims to destigmatise menstruation.Credit: Asaleo Care/Libra

Asaleo Care argued the advertisement was not embarrassing, offensive or too graphic in its depiction of blood.

The company said research completed before creating the ad found more than 60 per cent of women agreed periods were a normal part of life and should not be ignored by the mainstream media. It said its campaign was trying to normalise periods, break down taboos to generate conversation.

"We submit this TVC [TV commercial] and the #BloodNormal campaign of which it forms a critical element responds to a need to break down taboos and shame experienced by women and girls when having their period," the company said.

"The spectrum of complaints – positive and negative – that the TVC has elicited shows it is a topic that does not sit comfortably with all people: some want it to remain hidden while others want periods, pads and tampons to be part of everyday life."

The Ad Standards board examined whether the advert breached its code of ethics, specifically in its depiction of issues such as sexuality, nudity, social values, discrimination, gender, and health and safety. It dismissed all the complaints.

"The panel considered that, of itself, the topic of menstruation is not discriminative or vilifying, although some members of the community would prefer not to have this type of issue discussed publicly," the final report said.

Ad Standards said it had considered concerns that the depiction of blood was graphic and confronting, but it did not believe this to be disproportionate.

"The panel noted that there are no violent scenes in the advertisement and considered that the amount of blood depicted in the advertisement is not excessive or disproportionate.

"The panel considered that the depiction of blood in the context of the advertisement for feminine hygiene products, while not normally shown [in] advertising this type of product, is justifiable in the context of an advertisement for such products."

The majority of panel members said the ad was "communicating an important social message and promoting equality and the demystification of menstruation".

The Blood Normal campaign was launched in Australia and New Zealand last month. It was created in London and won the Glass Lion for Change award at the Cannes Lions marketing festival in France last year.